 SMS Irene at full steam.
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Irene class |
| Builders | AG Vulcan Stettin and Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Operators |  Imperial German Navy |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | SMS Kaiserin Augusta |
| Built | 1886–1889 |
| In service | 1888–1922 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Retired | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Protected cruiser |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 103.70 m (340 ft 3 in) oa |
| Beam | 14.20 m (46 ft 7 in) |
| Draft | 6.74 m (22 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Range | 2,490 nmi (4,610 km; 2,870 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) |
| Complement |
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| Armament |
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| Armor |
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The Irene class was a class of protected cruisers built by the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in the late 1880s. The class comprised two ships, Irene and Prinzess Wilhelm; they were the first protected cruisers built by the German Navy. As built, the ships were armed with a main battery of fourteen 15 cm (5.9 in) guns and had a top speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). They were modernized in 1899–1905, and their armament was upgraded with new, quick-firing guns.
Both ships served in the East Asia station with the East Asia Squadron; Prinzess Wilhelm played a major role in the seizure of the Jiaozhou Bay Leased Territory in November 1897. Both ships returned to Germany at the turn of the 20th century, and remained in European waters until 1914, when they were removed from active service. They were reduced to secondary roles then, and continued to serve until the early 1920s, when they were sold for scrap.